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Workplace Expert - Answered on Apr 16, 2024

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Asked by Anonymous - Apr 15, 2024Hindi
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I am 42, and frustrated with my job. Is it okay if I quit my job at this age? I am a BCom graduate with 17 years of experience in accounting and finance. I have some savings. What else should I consider before resigning from my current job? I am currently single and stay with my retired parents.

Ans: Hey there,

Feeling stuck in your career can be as frustrating as getting stuck behind a slow-moving tractor on a narrow road. But fear not, because your situation is not as bleak as it may seem.

Firstly, let's address the age factor. At 42, you're like a fine wine - seasoned, mature, and ready to be savored. Age is just a number, and it certainly shouldn't dictate your career decisions. Many successful individuals have reinvented themselves and achieved great heights later in life. So, if you're feeling the urge to shake things up, don't let the digits on your birth certificate hold you back.

Now, onto the big question - should you quit your job? Well, it's like contemplating whether to ditch a leaky boat for a sturdier vessel. It all depends on your circumstances, aspirations, and tolerance for soggy socks.

Considering your background in accounting and finance, you've got a solid foundation to build upon. But before you bid adieu to your current gig, here are a few things to ponder:

1. Financial Assessment: Take a deep dive into your savings and financial commitments. Ensure you have a comfortable buffer to tide you over during your transition period. It's like balancing your books - make sure the numbers add up before making any drastic moves.

2. Skills and Interests: Reflect on your passions and skill set. Are there areas within accounting and finance that ignite your enthusiasm? Or perhaps you've been eyeing a completely different field? It's never too late to explore new horizons or pivot towards a career that aligns with your interests.

3. Networking: Dust off your LinkedIn profile and start connecting with industry professionals. Networking is the secret sauce to unlocking hidden opportunities and gaining valuable insights. Attend events, join online communities, and don't shy away from reaching out to people for informational interviews. Remember, relationships are like investments - they yield returns when nurtured.

4. Career Goals: Define your career objectives and chart out a roadmap to achieve them. Whether it's climbing the corporate ladder, starting your own venture, or embracing a portfolio career, clarity of purpose will steer you in the right direction. Set SMART goals - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound - and watch your career aspirations come to life.

5. Support System: Lean on your support system for guidance and encouragement. Your retired parents can offer valuable insights and emotional support during this transitional phase. Having a strong support network is like having a trusty co-pilot - they'll help navigate the turbulence and celebrate your victories along the way.

Remember, life is too short to be stuck in a job that doesn't spark joy. So, muster up your courage, trust your instincts, and embark on this new chapter with gusto. Who knows, the best may be yet to come!

Wishing you smooth sailing and endless opportunities on your career journey!

Cheers!
Career

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Reetika

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Financial Planner, MF and Insurance Expert - Answered on Nov 09, 2025

Money
I am 31, teetotaler, with no bad habits, bachelor, leading celibacy, no chronical ailment, minimalist, investing in various schemes of mutual from the age of 18, now my investment is Rs. 50 lacs, with SIP of Rs. 15K every month in equity funds, and 40 lacs medical insurance 1.5Cr term insurance. Insurance premia are taken care by dividend from equity shares. My average annual expenses at present is Rs.5 lacs. Please guide me at what age should I give up the job and submit my resignation from MNC job, and retire, where I have no dependants nor depending on any one. Please guide me and advise.
Ans: Hi Mani,

You are one of the rare example of someone who is a long term investor and have build quite a good corpus through all these years.
Let us have a look at what can be done:
1. Insurance - you are well covered. Even premiums are being taken care of using dividends.
2. Emergency fund - build a dedicsted fund of minimu 10 lakhs in liquid funds for any emergency situation.
3. Mutual funds - a SIP of 15k has built you a corpus of 50 lakhs in 13 years which is great. You should also focus on increasing your investments to the maximum capacity whenever possible.
4. You are a bachelor and want to retire. But you also have to plan if ou want to get married. Getting married will change the entire plan. You will need funds to get marry, start family, kid's education and marriage. All these things should also be considered before making any decision.
5. Your current expenses of 5lakhs will double easily on getting married, so your resignation and retirement depends on this plan as well.

Hence my suggestion would be to focus on increasing income for now and you are too young to consider leaving your job. Plan your future goals and then take this decision collectively.

Also as your MF portfolio crosses 50 lakhs, would suggest you to consult a professional Certified Financial Planner - a CFP who can guide you with exact funds to invest in keeping in mind your age, requirements, financial goals and risk profile.

Let me know if you need more help.

Best Regards,
Reetika Sharma, Certified Financial Planner
https://www.instagram.com/cfpreetika/

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Nayagam P

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Career Counsellor - Answered on Dec 14, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025Hindi
Career
Hello, I am currently in Class 12 and preparing for JEE. I have not yet completed even 50% of the syllabus properly, but I aim to score around '110' marks. Could you suggest an effective strategy to achieve this? I know the target is relatively low, but I have category reservation, so it should be sufficient.
Ans: With category reservation (SC/ST/OBC), a score of 110 marks is absolutely achievable and realistic. Based on 2025 data, SC candidates qualified with approximately 60-65 percentile, and ST candidates with 45-55 percentile. Your target requires scoring just 37-40% marks, which is significantly lower than general category standards. This gives you a genuine advantage. Immediate Action Plan (December 2025 - January 2026): 4-5 Weeks. Week 1-2: High-Weightage Chapter Focus. Stop trying to complete the entire syllabus. Instead, focus exclusively on high-scoring chapters that carry maximum weightage: Physics (Modern Physics, Current Electricity, Work-Power-Energy, Rotation, Magnetism), Chemistry (Chemical Bonding, Thermodynamics, Coordination Compounds, Electrochemistry), and Maths (Integration, Differentiation, Vectors, 3D Geometry, Probability). These chapters alone can yield 80-100+ marks if practiced properly. Ignore topics you haven't studied yet. Week 2-3: Previous Year Questions (PYQs). Solve JEE Main PYQs from the last 10 years (2015-2025) for chapters you're studying. PYQs reveal question patterns and difficulty levels. Focus on understanding why answers are correct, not memorizing solutions. Week 3-4: Mock Tests & Error Analysis. Take 2-3 full-length mock tests weekly under timed conditions. This is crucial because mock tests build exam confidence, reveal time management weaknesses, and error analysis prevents repeated mistakes. Maintain an error notebook documenting every mistake—this becomes your revision guide. Week 4-5: Revision & Formula Consolidation. Create concise formula sheets for each subject. Spend 30 minutes daily reviewing formulas and key concepts. Avoid learning new topics entirely at this stage. Study Schedule (Daily): 7-8 Hours. Morning (5:00-7:30 AM): Physics concepts + 30 PYQs. Break (7:30-8:30 AM): Breakfast & rest. Mid-morning (8:30-11:00): Chemistry concepts + 20 PYQs. Lunch (11:00-1:00 PM): Full break. Afternoon (1:00-3:30 PM): Maths concepts + 30 PYQs. Evening (3:30-5:00 PM): Mock test or error review. Night (7:00-9:00 PM): Formula revision & weak area focus. Strategic Approach for 110 Marks: Attempt only confident questions and avoid negative marking by skipping difficult questions. Do easy questions first—in the exam, attempt all basic-level questions before attempting medium or hard ones. Focus on quality over quantity as 30 well-practiced questions beat 100 random questions. Master NCERT concepts as most JEE questions test NCERT concepts applied smartly. April 2026 Session Advantage. If January doesn't deliver desired results, April gives you a second chance with 3+ months to prepare. Use January as a practice attempt to identify weak areas, then focus intensively on those in February-March. Realistic Timeline: January 2026 target is 95-110 marks (achievable with focused 50% syllabus), while April 2026 target is 120-130 marks (with complete syllabus + experience). Your reservation benefit means you need only approximately 90-105 marks to qualify and secure admission to quality engineering colleges. Stop comparing yourself to general category cutoffs. Most Importantly: Consistency beats perfection. Study 6 focused hours daily rather than 12 distracted hours. Your 110-mark target is realistic—execute this plan with discipline. All the BEST for Your JEE 2026!

Follow RediffGURUS to Know More on 'Careers | Money | Health | Relationships'.

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Dr Dipankar

Dr Dipankar Dutta  |1840 Answers  |Ask -

Tech Careers and Skill Development Expert - Answered on Dec 13, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025
Career
Dear Sir/Madam, I am currently a 1st year UG student studying engineering in Sairam Engineering College, But there the lack of exposure and strict academics feels so rigid and I don't like it that. It's like they don't gaf about skills but just wants us to memorize things and score a good CGPA, the only skill they want is you to memorize things and pass, there's even special class for students who don't perform well in academics and it is compulsory for them to attend or else the student and his/her parents needs to face authorities who lashes out. My question is when did engineering became something that requires good academics instead of actual learning and skill set. In sairam they provides us a coding platform in which we need to gain the required points for each semester which is ridiculous cuz most of the students here just look at the solution to code instead of actual debugging. I am passionate about engineering so I want to learn and experiment things instead of just memorizing, so I actually consider dropping out and I want to give jee a try and maybe viteee , srmjeee But i heard some people say SRM may provide exposure but not that good in placements. I may not be excellent at studies but my marks are decent. So gimme some insights about SRM and recommend me other colleges/universities which are good at exposure
Ans: First — your frustration is valid

What you are experiencing at Sairam is not engineering, it is rote-based credential production.

“When did engineering become memorizing instead of learning?”

Sadly, this shift happened decades ago in most Tier-3 private colleges in India.

About “coding platforms & points” – your observation is sharp

You are absolutely right:

Mandatory coding points → students copy solutions

Copying ≠ learning

Debugging & thinking are missing

This is pseudo-skill education — it looks modern but produces shallow engineers.

The fact that you noticed this in 1st year already puts you ahead of 80% students.

Should you DROP OUT and prepare for JEE / VITEEE / SRMJEEE?

Although VIT/SRM is better than Sairam Engineering College, but you may face the same problem. You will not face this type of problem only in some top IITs, but getting seat in those IITs will be difficult.
Instead of dropping immediately, consider:

???? Strategy:

Stay enrolled (degree security)

Reduce emotional investment in college rules

Use:

GitHub

Open-source projects

Hackathons

Internships (remote)

Hardware / software self-projects

This way:

College = formality

Learning = self-driven

Risk = minimal

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